Pew reports that 25 percent of Americans say they feel less favorably toward Obama, while only 19 percent say they feel more favorably.

Pew notes wide partisan and age differences in reaction to Obama’s expression of support for gay marriage that seem to indicate it won’t rock the vote.

About half of Republicans, 53 percent, say they feel less favorably. They probably weren’t voting for him anyway.

About 60 percent of independents and 52 percent of Democrats say his statement didn’t change their view of the president. Among independents, about the same number, 19 percent, say they feel more favorably as those who say they fell less favorably. It’s a wash among independent voters.

Many more Democrats say they like him more now than those who like him less, 32 percent and 13 percent respectively. They probably were voting for him anyway — if they vote.

More youthful Americans, those under 30, are relatively unmoved. Some 62 percent of them say their opinion is not affected.

Among older Americans, 65 years and up, 42 percent say they feel less favorably toward Obama, compared with 15 percent who feel more favorably. And 38 percent said their opinion of the president is unchanged.

The group that seems most impressed by Obama’s declaration, other than Democrats and Americans over 65, are college graduates. About 30 percent see him more favorably; 25 see him less favorably; and, 43 percent are unmoved.

Despite the historic significance of a sitting president publicly supporting gay marriage for the first time, it wasn’t a bombshell. It was what most Americans knew about the president all along.

Pew notes that Obama’s support for gay marriage comes at a time when public support for it is growing. Another recent Pew Research survey found that 47 percent of Americans support gay marriage, compared with 43 percent who oppose it.

However, Obama’s declaration could make a difference in key swing states where Obama’s margins of support are slim. Most pundits weigh in that it likely will hurt him more than help him in some important battleground states.

Where is your moral compass pointing? What are your social values? Hark will explore faith, morals, ethics and character at the intersection of religion ethics, culture, politics, media, science, education, economics and philosophy. At times this blog will alert readers to breaking news and trends. At times it will attempt to look more deeply into intriguing subjects. Hark means to listen attentively, and we will, as readers talk back to the news.